Controller for electric motors.



F. W. HARRIS.

CONTROLLER FOR ELECTRIC MOTORS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 26, 1910 Ptented Jan. 12, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

ATTORNEY F. W. HARRLS CONTROLLER. FOB. ELECTRIC MOTORS.

APPLICATION IILED SEPT. 26, 1910.

Patented Jan. 12, 1915.

' sinus-S52E52.

FORD XV. HARRIS WILKIWSBUHG, PEllNfEiYL' JAHL'L. 15151 ELECTRIC AND Iii NUFACLURLETG COMPANY, A COREORILTION O3! Pile CONTROLLER- FOR- ELECTRIC TV'JIOTOES.

Specification oi Lott ers I-ntentv To (122 nl'aom may concern lle it known that l, Fons il I'lARRIS, a cit sen of the United States, and a resident of ll i lciuslnirg, in the county of iillegheny end stu c of lennsylvaniu, have in ented no r and useful Improvement in Controllers for Electric li'lotors, of which the following is a specification.

lily invention relates to controllers for electrioinotors and it has special reference to controllers "for polyphuse motors of t 1e induction type.

The object of my invention is to provide controller oi the above indicated class th shall be adapted to automatically open 2' supply circuit polyphase motor on c: ditions of no voltage or phase reversal of the source of energy, and shall also embody means for preventing the closure of the motor line switch except when Volta-go exists upon the supply, circuit and the phase rotation of said voltage is in the proper direction.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a'diagranunntic view of a system of distribution which embodies my invention. Fig. 2 is a view, partially in section and partially in side elevation, and 3 is plan view of a device constructed in no cordance with my invention.

Referring to the drawings, three-phase alternating current generator 1 supplies energy to a polyphase induction motor, 2, through line conductors 3, 4: and 5, a threepole motor line switch 6, and motor line conductors 7, 8 and 9, said switch being provided with a controlling device ltlwhich embodies my invention.

The device 10 comprises a supporting frame 11, from which is suspended a small auxiliary polyphase induction motor 12, the leads 13 of which are connected to upper stationary contact terminals 1 L of the switch 6. Switch 6 is mounted upon an'insulating slab 15 Which is suitably secured to the supporting frame 11.

The auxiliary induction motor 12 is provided with an extended shaft 16, to Which is keyed :1. Fl eel 17, having a projection 18 located on its inner face and near its periphery. About the extended portion of the shaft 16 is disposed a coil sorino; 19., the opposite ends of which are respectively secured the wheel 17 and the supporting 11. The motor 19 is so connected as to ex its torque in such direction, under nor- :ii operating conditions, to store Hal energy in the spring 19, as will rmdily understood.

The s1 )porting tlrainc ll is provided with an upwardly projecting port acover-plate F21 and stan erds 22 having openin 'i rods so, similar openings 2 vided in the to Openings in of bloclr- 27 clamped by Inezspring Under normal springs i l are on of springs 1 r c. r I. f 29 ocpeod .LlLlOll or me auxiliary .ncu the bottom side of t provided with two coninnunc ting grooves 31 and 0;, the tormer or which is materially inclined with reference to the axes the rods 2 the lettcr of which is at right angles to id axes. A lower 33 is pivotally supportcdupon pin 34, and is provided with a projection 35 at onc'end to engage and cooperate h the block 97 end its grooves 31 and 33. The opposite end of the lever 00 projects downwardly to be engaged by the proicction 18 of the Wheel 17. Stops 37 and 38 are provided to restrict the increment of lover in either direction.

Under normal circuit conditions, the circuit connections and the 'oositiozi of the Y1K rious parts of the apparatus are as illustrated in the drawings. The torque of motor 12 is exerted against the action of spi no" 19 and, hence, the projection 18 of the heel 17 engages the end 36 of the lever S? and maintains said lever in contact with the stop 37. lh'ojcction thorotorc, oucngcs the side of the block 27 and maintains springs '29 in compression. It. for any reuson XllutSOLYF-l, the Volta re ot the supply circuit fails, the excitation of the motor '12 is interrupted, and its t rque, which tcn lsto hold. the projection 18 against the lever (X- tcusion 36, is discontinued. Therefore, the spring 19 turns the wheel '17 in the oppodirection until the projection 19 cncn the other side of the. end 36 of lever and forces the lever against the stop 21R. luulcr llO .interruption of the supply these conditions, the projection 35 is moved into position to engage tne groove 31. It is evident, therefore, that the springs 29 are now free to force the rods id against the movable member of the switch 6 and move it to open position. During thisoperation, the projection passes through the groove 31 and into the groove 32, as indicated in Fig. 3 by the dot and dash lines. If, instead of a failure of the supply volta e, a reversal of one of its phases occurs, it is evident that the direction of rotation of motor 12 is likewise reversed, according to well. known principles. The torque of the motor, therefore, assists the action of spring 19 in causing reverse rotation of the wheel 17 and the engagement of the projection 18 with the lever 33, to release the block 27 and cause the circuit, as hereinbciore explained.

Assuming that switch 6 is open and the switch-actuating mechanism occupies the position. shown in Fig. 3, by dot and dash iines, the subsequent closure of said switch is as follows: it is evident that, since the rods 24; are in their extreme outward posi-- tions are held in said positions byreason of the engagement of the proyection 35 with the side of the groove the switch can not he closed. However, it voltage is re-' stored to the supply circuit and the phase rotation is in the proper direction, motor 12 is caused to operate against the torsional eilort oi'spring 19 to force lever 33 against the stop 37. i In this position, projection 35 is moved into the groove 31. Under these conditions the switch 6 may be closed, by forcing in the rods 24. against the action of the springs 2-9. The motor 12 continues to exert its torque in the same direction and, therefore, when the projection 35 has passed through the groove 31', it is moved into its original position, to hold springs 29 under compression.

Although have shown and described the controlling device oi my invention as applied a common; typepf line switch, those skilled in the art will readily understand --that any fornr of switch or circuit interrupter may be employed. Furthermore, I desire it to be understood that many modior" stri'i'ctural details and arrangelocation 0;. parts may be effected e scope of invention and that i meat nd h imitations shall-he. imposed as are ted in the appended claims.

i cla' n as my invention:

1. The combination with a polyphase supand a circuit-interrupting itch, of a springeetuated means for opening or preventing closure of said switch, a locking mechanism to restrain said springactuated means in either of its extreme positions, and electro-responsive means dependent upon predetermined conditions of voltmeshes age or phase rotation of the supply circuit for governing the action of said locking mechanism.

2. The combination with a polyphase supply circuit, and a circuit interrupting switch, of a mechanically actuated rod tending to open said switch, means for restraining said rod in its extreme positions, means dependent upon failure of the supply circuit voltage or reversal of phase rotation for releasing said spring-actuated I means from said locking means upon the'cccun rence of predetermined conditions of voltage and phase rotation of a polyphase source of energy.

4-. circuit interrupting device comprising a switch, mechanical means to open or prevent closure or" said switch, a locking mechanism adapted to cause said mechanical means to open or prevent closure of said switch, and a polyphase induction motor tending, under normal operating conditions, to rotate in one direction, and adapted under predetermined conditions to rotate in a reverse direction to actuate said locking mechanism.

5. The combination with a polyphase alternating current supply circuit, and a circuit-interrupting switch, of positively locked mechanical means for opening and for preventing the closure of said switch, and electro-responsiv means for unlocking said mechanical meansin each of its locked positions under predetermined conditions of voltage and direction of phase rotation of said supply circuit.

6. ihe combination with a polyphase alternating current supply circuit, and a circuit-interrupting device, of normally locked mechanical means for opening said device and for-holding the same open, and an asynchronous motor connected to said supply circuit ior unlocking said mechanical means to permit the said device to be closed under predetermined conditions or voltage and phase rotation.

-7. The combination with a polyphase alternatin current su )l' circuit a circuit 3 interrupter, and an opening device that is POSltlVBl locked in each oi its extreme posu'nons, of electrorespons1ve means for unlocking said device under predetermined conditions of voltage and direction of phase rotation of said supply circuit.

8. The combination with a polyphase a1 l ternating current supply circuit,'a circuitinterrupting switch, and a switch-opening means, of a, locking device, and a controlling means connected to said supply circuit and serving to actuate the locking device to hold the switclropening means normal operating conditions,

said device to release said inactive under and to actuate switch-opening means upon a reversal of phase rotation or interruption of said'supply said controlling means also circuit voltage, serving to actu- FORD 7;

. Witnesses:

Wnisox L. WRIGHT, B. "B. 'Hmns.

position to prevent closure 

